Traveling often by train? Remember these rules by Indian Railways
What's the story
Most travelers today prefer commuting by train. While the journey may be long, it is inexpensive and comfortable. And if you are someone who is a frequent train traveler, there are some important rules in place by the Indian Railways that you should never forget for a hassle-free journey. Well, we are talking about these five rules to keep in mind.
#1
Sleeping hours for middle berth occupant
Passengers who are allotted middle berths cannot keep their berth up beyond the sleeping hours, i.e. 10:00pm to 6:00am. If they do so, it would be considered an offense. Once the sleeping hours end, the middle berth should be lowered so that co-passengers can sit comfortably. Also, passengers of the side-upper berth don't have any claim on the side-lower berth during sleeping hours.
#2
2 station rule: Board your train from 2 next stops
If passengers miss their train at the boarding station, they still have the chance to claim the reserved seats. The TTE is not allowed to allocate a passenger's seat to others for at least one hour or until the train passes the next two stops (whichever is earliest). Beyond the second station, however, the TTE is free to assign seats to any RAC/WL passengers.
#3
Extend your journey beyond de-boarding station
Many passengers book tickets to a station before their original destination due to the unavailability of tickets in peak seasons or other reasons! However, there is a rule allowing the extension of the journey. Just approach the TTE before reaching the destination. The TTE would collect the extra fare and issue a ticket for the forward journey. But you may get a different berth/seat.
#4
Get full refund for short-terminated routes
Sometimes the train journey is short-terminated due to natural calamities/technical problems. If the railways do not have a backup arrangement, they will refund you the full fare. However, if you are not willing to take the alternate train, then the fare for the traveled section will be cut, and the remaining balance will be refunded after handing over the ticket to the Station Master.
#5
MRP on packaged food items
According to the Railways Act of 1989, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) authorized vendors cannot sell packaged food items, beverages, or water bottles above the MRP. This is an offense. If you find anyone doing so, immediately register a complaint at the railway toll-free numbers 139 or 1800111321. The vendor would be charged a hefty penalty, and their license may get canceled.
Other rules
TTEs cannot disturb you after 10pm
TTEs cannot disturb passengers after 10pm (except in special cases). The verification of tickets must be completed before 10pm. You can complain about untidy washrooms/coaches on cleanmycoach.com. The maintenance team will be ready at the next station to serve you. Meanwhile, locomotive pilots don't have washrooms in engines even today. So, they have to ignore nature's calls in order to avoid train delays.